Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ

Universality might just be the book of the year. Is that year 2024 (when I read it) or 2025 (when it releases)? Not sure!

With razor-sharp wit, Brown crafts a cast of deeply flawed yet realistic characters. Universality is as much a social commentary as it is a mystery. Wealth, class, politics, and privilege all intersect to create an expertly woven tapestry of narratives. The title reflects humanity's universal shortcomings: greed, corruption, and envy. I loved the metaphorical and literal references to the theme of universality sprinkled throughout.

The novel follows a journalist’s attempts to uncover the truth after an illegal rave goes awry and leaves a man bludgeoned with a solid gold bar. As the journalist digs deeper into the story, she uncovers a complex web of relationships that span different social and economic classes. The novel is split into five major sections, each of which further explores the fallout of the investigation and the rising success of the journalist behind it. I wouldn’t quite describe this as a short-story collection or a true-to-form novel - it incorporates a bit of both to tell its story.

As with Assembly, Brown integrates plenty of semi-satirical remarks about late-stage capitalism, the gig economy, race, classism, and the rising popularity of right-wing media. Her writing has a level of nuance that’s hard to get right; the characters don’t feel like mouthpieces for commentary, but rather as fully realized people who embody the contrasting perspectives on current social issues. While nobody emerges as particularly likable, they all represent the collective apathy & nihilism of society and the divisive cultural war that the media perpetuates.

Something I appreciate about Natasha Brown is her ability to accomplish so much in such a minimal page count. The writing never feels bloated or superfluous, and the intent behind every sentence is evident. What she deliberately leaves unsaid is as important to the story as what it is presented. The best comparison I can make is to a painting where the negative space is just as much the focus as the positive space. It leaves room for interpretation and discussion in a way that I haven't seen other authors emulate successfully.

Assembly was a book I appreciated more than enjoyed, but Universality takes similar ideas and runs with them. It will leave you uncomfortable, reflecting and eagerly awaiting her next release. Thank you to the publisher for the ARC!